A Different Side of Love
by Miztiry
Summary: When Ron decides to leave with Harry in their 7th year, Hermione will turn to someone else. But when she does, will she be able to handle it, or will things beyond her control pull her apart from the people she loves. Mainly HGRL,Some HGRW, a little HGNL
1. An Engagment of Sorts

**DISCLAIMER:  
I do not own Harry Potter or its characters. J.K. Rowling does. I just use them to write stories for my own enjoyment.

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"RON!" Mrs. Weasley screamed up the stairs. "Ronald Weasley, Hermione's just arrived dear!"

"Thanks mum," He yelled back, "be down in a minute!"

"Make yourself comfortable dear; you know your welcome here." Mrs. Weasley said in a motherly voice.

"Thanks." Hermione said as she sat down at the kitchen table.

She looked around The Burrow. It had been a while since she had last been there. She wondered what took Ron so long to come down. After all, he's the one who wanted her to come there on such short notice.

"Coming!" Ron yelled down the stairs. She could hear him sprinting down the stairway and right at the last step he tripped over his own feet and fell flat on his face.

"DAMMIT!" He bellowed loudly.

"RON WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT SWEARING IN THE HOUSE!" Mrs. Weasley screeched.

"Oh, uh, sorry mum." He said as he recovered himself from the fall.

Hermione tried to stifle a laugh.

"Uh, Hermione, hi, um, wanna step outside with me?" he said softly.

"Oh, yes, sure." She said following him out the door.

She had no idea what was in store or why he had asked her to come so early in the summer. Of course it couldn't be to ask for help on homework because he would have just sent for the answers, but she couldn't figure it out. Maybe it was for Bill and Fleur's wedding, but no, it couldn't be, that wasn't till the end of August.

She followed him for five minutes until he stopped right under a huge oak tree on a hill overlooking a valley with a river below. The sun was setting and the tree shaded out the beating rays. He sat down and looked out past the hills for a moment, transfixed on the setting. Hermione wondered why until she took a glimpse at where his eyes were looking.

She suddenly understood why he was so captivated with the scenery. It was the most mesmerizing sight she had ever seen in her life.

"Ron……it's….it's beautiful." She said in awe.

"Not as beautiful as you…." He said in reply.

She looked over at him quickly to see that now his eyes were on her. She looked away in embarrassment.

"Now Ron, why did you ask me here, was it just to see this." She asked him while looking away.

"Hermione I asked you here because…..this area here……I used to come here in the summer before I started Hogwarts. I love this place, because it's so secluded and away from the rest of my family. And well, my mum brought me here when I was really young and told me that this is the place that dad asked her to marry him. And since then it's been really special to me. And now I wanna….I wanna do the same thing….."

Hermione sat there in shock. "Ron was gonna do what?" she thought to herself.

"I wanted to tell you this now before it happens and you freak out, but I'm going with Harry. I'm leaving Hogwarts and helping him, but before I leave I wanted to ask you…….will you marry me?"

Tears began to swell in Hermione's eyes. She looked away.

"What? Is there something wrong? I'm sorry….I shouldn't have." He said softly.

"No it's just that….oh Ron!" She said as she grabbed him and kissed him affectionately.

"I…I…I love you…..I always have….I was so jealous last year….I….Yes!" She said as she buried her head onto his chest.

"So….You're saying yes? He's said dumbstruck.

"Yes you idiot! Of course I am!" She said in a shrieky voice.

"Then I guess I should give you this." And he took out of his pocket a silver ring.

"Oh Ron, its so pretty." She said as she slipped it over her finger. "But, we're so young….and you're leaving…..and." he put up a finger to silence her.

"I know, I had already thought about that. We'll wait until after the war is over and then I'll come back for you. Now don't give me that face." He said when he saw the sad expression on her appearance. "I'll come and visit you at Hogwarts as much as possible, so it's not like I'll never see you." He said as he gave her another soft kiss on the lips.

They sat there in a soft embrace until the sun had gone down and then they walked home in the dark, hand in hand.

Days passed, weeks, then a month and it seemed like it had passed them by so fast. Hermione and Ron spent every moment together. No one knew about their engagement even though it wasn't necessarily a secret.

When Harry finally arrived at the Burrow to talk over plans with Ron, he wondered why they kept on leaving every evening at dusk to go do "things" that they needed to do. Little did Harry know that it was just their way of sneaking off to go snog at their special spot.

It was September 1st and it was off to Platform 9¾ to catch the Hogwarts Express. At the train, as Hermione was taking her seat, she and Ron decided to let Harry on in their little secret. Harry was not entirely surprised and whole heartedly congratulated them and then left them alone to say goodbye as he went off to give Ginny a special farewell.

Ron stared into Hermione's eyes and then kissed her one last time before getting up and saying goodbye. She watched him get off the train and then hurried to find a compartment. She was glad she gave up her role as a prefect because she was going to have a lot under her belt this year as it was.

She went along the train and found a compartment with Ginny, Luna, Neville, and to her shock, Lupin. They welcomed her in and she took a seat between Lupin and Ginny.

"Hello guys." She said to them all.

Murmurs of a hello went around the room awkwardly. Hermione knew why. It was because of what happened last year and the fact that she and Ron were the only two people, besides Harry, who knew what really took place. She knew that they would all want to know the answer, but she wouldn't say. She swore Harry she'd never tell a soul.

"I've just said goodbye to Harry." Ginny said with a mysterious air to her voice, and then ended her remark with a wink only Hermione could see.

"Oh….you don't have to hide it you know….we all know you snogged him before he left, so don't act all innocent." Luna said in her dreamy voice.

Ginny's cheeks went the same shade of scarlet that Ron's face went to when he was embarrassed. She looked over at Lupin who didn't look back and went back to being quiet.

"So…uh…" Hermione said to break the silence. "What are you doing coming back to Hogwarts, Professor Lupin?"

"I was just about to answer that question when you came in." He said looking her straight in the eye. "Professor McGonnagal asked me to come back here for a meeting for the Order. And I was happy to come."

"That's cor." Neville said, speaking for the first time. "I'm really excited about lessons this year, well, Herbology at least. Professor Sprout took me on as her teaching assistant. That means I get to skip certain classes to help her."

"That's great Neville." Ginny said in an uplifting voice.

"Wonder who the new DADA teacher is this year." Luna muttered quietly to herself, but not quiet enough for everyone to hear.

"It's a surprise. I'm not allowed to tell though." Lupin said attentively.

"What? You know? Please tell us!" rang throughout the compartment making Lupin cover his ears.

"Stop! Be quiet you lot! I'm not gonna tell you, and that's final." He said stubbornly.

"Pretty please." Hermione said as she moved closer to him. "I really want to know." She said as she put her head on his shoulder and fluttered her eyelashes at him while giggling.

"Um…erm…" he said as he stared into her big blue eyes. "Er….oh, for you, fine."

"Thanks." She said as she moved back, closer to Ginny.

"Promise you won't tell anyone that I told?" they nodded their heads in unison.

"Ok…it's…Tonks."

"Tonks!" they all said in harmony. "Brilliant choice, old McGonnagal's got her head on strait, smart pick, great." Were all reactions to the idea of having Tonks teach at Hogwarts.

"Are you and her still getting on fine?" Ginny asked curiously.

"Yeah, we're friends, but we broke up because we both agreed it was for the best." He answered.

"But you guys were so wonderful together, I saw you guys together!" she respond back.

"Yeah, but….it wouldn't have worked out anyways." He said with his voice trailing off at the end.

Everyone went uncomfortably silent again for a moment until Luna spoke up again.

"Wanna see an article in the Quibbler about Father Christmas being 10 days late this year due to a shortage in elves."

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**Please R&R...it will make me very happy. Next chapter is done. I will upload it asap!**


	2. The Meeting

**DISCLAIMER:  
I dont own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling does.**

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"Firs' years this way!" Hagrid called over the crowd as the students dismounted the train.

Hermione smiled as she thought that she'd at least have Hagrid to talk to this year. She stepped out of the train and onto the ground followed by the four others in the compartment. They all walked to horseless carriages almost manually and something made Hermione and Ginny stop suddenly.

"What are those creatures?" Ginny said, looking astounded.

"Uhh, I think those are Thestrals, Ginny, you know, what we rode on two years ago." Hermione replied back.

"Oh, you can see them now as well?" Luna asked in her dreamy voice.

"Uh, yeah, I think I can." Hermione said.

She wondered why she could, and then thought back to that night three months ago. She had seen one of the death eaters die, and so had Ginny.

"Quite interesting aren't they?" asked Lupin as he came up behind them all. "Now hurry up into the carriage or else they'll leave without you."

"Aren't you coming with us?" Ginny asked him.

"No, I must speak with Hagrid for a moment," he said with sigh. "But hopefully I'll speak with you all again soon." He added as he whisked away.

Ginny and Hermione boarded the carriage still in bewilderment over the Thestrals, and sat down.

The coach took them jaggedly, but nicely up to the castle. Hermione look out the window and up at Hogwarts, where she had so many memories stored away, of good and bad. She sighed and unexpectedly remembered that this was her final year here and that she needed to make it count.

She then looked around at the people sitting in the compartment with her and realized that all of them had been through things that they didn't have to go through because of their loyalty to the greater good, and Harry. She suspected that they all would be living simple lives, including herself, if they hadn't met Harry, but she figured it was worth it because Harry was her greatest friend, and they had been through quite a lot together.

Pondering all these things must have made her lose time because by the time she looked up; Neville was just leaving the carriage.

Hermione, Neville, Ginny, and Luna made their way up to the castle and entered through the huge doors into the entrance hall. Hermione could smell the scent of crisp apple pie being baked and licked her lips in satisfying hunger. She could tell that the others were thinking the same way as well from the looks on their faces. But the look wouldn't last for very much longer, because Professor McGonnagal called their names out as they were walking into the great hall.

"Mrs. Granger, Mrs. Weasley, Mrs. Lovegood, and Mr. Longbottom, please come with me for a moment." She motioned them to follow her. "Everyone else, please take a seat in the great hall. Mr. Flitwick will be with you in a moment."

The four followed her for five minutes as she walked them up the stairs to Dumbledores old office.

"Tawny Whiskers." She said directly to the stone gargoyle, who moved aside quickly so all five of them could get onto the moving stairs.

When they got to the top of the stairs, they came into Dumbledores office, now Professor McGonnagals, to find twenty witches and wizards sitting around talking softly.

"I would like you to please sit down students and I will be with you as soon as I can. But in the meanwhile, please, listen to the meeting. You might find much of the information to be fulfilling to your needs. Please start if you may Remus." Professor McGonnagal said as she turned on her heal to leave.

"Er….ok…." Lupin muttered as he stood up. He straightened himself out, and then started to speak. "Today, I myself, as well as Minerva, have asked you here to discuss the future of our organization and the well being of Hermione, Ginny, Luna, and Neville. As you all know, a great and powerful man, Dumbledore, was taken from us three months ago. And as I hope you have learned, the man that killed him was Severus Snape."

There were a few gasps out of the twenty. Obviously some people did not know how he died yet.

"Also," he continued. "These four magnificent students are in major danger and will need extra protection this year to keep them safe from harm."

This time the gasps came from Hermione and the others. They each looked at each other in shock. "Why were we in danger?" Hermione thought to herself. Apparently the others were thinking along the same lines because Ginny then stood up and spoke.

"What do you mean we need protection? What's out to get us?" She asked, alarmingly.

"The Order has agreed that each of you will get a trained witch or wizard to give you private lessons in defense magic to protect yourself." He said calmly.

"So are we in danger or something." She retorted back.

"Yes, I must admit that you are. Voldermort and his followers know who you are now and stop at nothing to make sure that you can't stop him in his path to Harry. So you must be trained, you must. It's not a matter of extra lessons; it's a matter of life or death. So it is required this year for you to be safe. Do you all understand?" he replied back.

They all looked at each other and silently agreed by nodding their heads at Lupin.

"Good, well, here are your assigned teachers. Ginny, you will be taught by Alastor Moody." He said to Ginny

"Meet me on Thursday night at 8:00 in the unused charms classroom, and don't be late." Moody grunted at Ginny as his magical eye swizzled around madly.

Ginny nodded at him and then looked over at Hermione with a nervous look on her face.

"Luna," Lupin continued. "You will be with Kingsley Shacklebolt, at 6:00 on Tuesdays."

He indicated to the strongly built black man that sat in the corner. He nodded at her and she gave a small nod back looking pleased.

"Neville you shall be with Nymphadora Tonks. She is down at the feast now, due to her new position as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, but she expects you tomorrow at 7:00 in her office. You know where that is, right?" he said to Neville.

"Uhh, yes Professor Lupin." Neville garbled.

"And that leaves Hermione Granger…..you are to be with me on Friday nights at 8:30. Meet me in the entrance hall at that time on Friday and we will discuss a place to meet. Is that alright?" Lupin said as he stared into Hermione's eyes.

"Yes. It's alright." She said, staring him right back.

"Good. Well if that is all, you four may be excused to go back to the feast." He added as a final word.

They all got up and walked out of the office back to the great hall.

"I can't believe we're in danger." Neville said in distress.

"Oh it's gonna be alright Neville. Tonks will be a great tutor. Besides, it will be like extra help in the DADA class, so you might get a better grade on your N.E.W.T. this year." Ginny said kindly to him.

"Ugh, don't remind me about those." He said as they took seats at the Gryffindor table.

Luna went off to her own table and looked back with her eyes round as ever to give one last smile before tomorrow.

"Yum! I'm starving." Ginny muttered as she stuffed food into her mouth.

But Hermione wasn't eating. She was thinking of Lupin and their lessons together. And it didn't get any better when she went to bed. Every time she closed her eyes, she pictured him for some absurd reason. She didn't have feelings for him and why wasn't she thinking of Ron?

"I just have to get to sleep." She muttered to herself. "Just snap out of it Hermione."

"Shut up and go to sleep!" Lavender Brown hollered at her.

"Oh if she only knew." Hermione thought to herself. "If she only knew about me and Ron she wouldn't be talking to me like that at all."

Then she fell gracefully to sleep.

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